Sow it begins again!

The second growing season is officially here and I’ve been busy up the allotment preparing the vegetable beds for a second batch of crops. There’s so many seeds and seedlings you can be planting out and if you have a small plot or garden just like me then you need to make use of that second growing season. This time of year always excites me but it can be a little overwhelming, everything is growing in full swing now and it’s hard to keep on top of the jobs. However, I popped up the allotment late one evening to plant out a few of my seedlings and to tick a few of those jobs off the list.

Late last week I decided to dig up the last 3 rows of my International Kidney potatoes. This is usually a job I do when and if we need some potatoes for dinner, however potatoes can store really well and if I’m honest these delicious salad varieties never last long in our house anyway! This means that I can plant out the next set of seedlings whilst the weather is so warm and sunny to give them a slightly longer growing season. So out came the potatoes and in went three rows of ‘Musselburgh’ leeks and 2 rows of ‘Rainbow Lights’ swiss chard! I sowed both around April time and the leeks look amazing, the swiss chard on the other hand could have been sown a little later as it looks a bit sad right now, although I’m hoping they will recover now they are in the ground and have the space to grow.

I use a dibber to plant out my leeks and found it best to water the soil first so that the parched dirt wouldn’t keep filling up the hole every time I made one. These were planted out roughly 6 inches deep and 9 inches apart, once planted out fill the holes with water and keep doing so throughout the season.

Next to the rows of swiss chard will go 2 or 3 rows of ‘Purple Top Milan’ turnips, to some this might be a boring crop to grow but to me it’s that perfect winter veg to add to stews and casseroles plus it makes use of empty space on the plot. I’ll also be sowing some more carrots next to the 2 rows that are ready to harvest now. This way the carrots can share the mesh barrier and if all goes well I’ll be harvesting more carrots in a month or so. Of course I need to sow these yet and I was hoping to do them this weekend, however we’ve been busy getting ready to sell at RHS Tatton so it’s been a bit hectic here and we’re actually heading off on the 6 hour journey this very morning! I really hope to see some of you there but if not then have a glorious week and get out in those gardens whilst you can x

Here are a few more things you can be sowing and growing now:

• Pak Choi
• Lettuce
• Radish
• Swiss Chard
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Kohl Rabi
• Carrots
• Leeks
• Beetroots
• French Beans
• Peas
• Spring Cabbage
• Spring Onions
• Salad Leaves